Bones sometimes develop at different rates, leaving some bones disproportionately shorter than other bones. Alternatively, injury may leave a bone shorter than its original length. Such a condition may lead to difficulties in a patient's movement. For instance, a small jaw may cause difficulties in chewing or breathing (e.g., obstructive sleep apnea). Moreover, deformations are often psychologically distressing to the patient, especially when the deformations occur in craniofacial bones.
One procedure for lengthening bones is referred to as osteodistraction. According to an osteodistraction procedure, an abnormally short bone is cut into two segments. The two segments are secured to a brace that permits the segments to be drawn apart. New bone then grows in the space between the separated bone segments, and eventually couples the two segments together into a lengthened bone. In certain osteodistraction procedures, support fixtures such as Kirschner wires (“K-wires”) or pins may be implanted into the bone segments to be distracted. After implantation of the fixtures into the bone, the brace may be secured to the fixtures using one or more clamps. Traditional braces may include clamps that are rigidly coupled to the brace. As the bone segments undergo distraction, the angles of the fixtures may change relative to the brace. Rigid coupling of the clamps to the brace may lead to buckling or binding of the brace components.